St. John's Prep Eagles soar to clinch O’Leary’s 200th career win

Thursday

Nov 29, 2012 at 12:01 AMNov 29, 2012 at 3:44 PM

Postseason games in any sport is always a memorable experience for the participants, but Tuesday night’s Division 1 Super Bowl playoff win over Andover, 21-0 at Lowell’s Cawley Stadium probably has extra special meaning for St. John’s Prep veteran head coach Jim O’Leary. On this night, O’Leary recorded his 200th career win, which enabled his Eagles to take on Brockton in the EMass Division 1 Super Bowl title game at Bentley University Saturday at 6 p.m.

Stephen Martellucci/Wicked Local Danvers

Postseason games in any sport is always a memorable experience for the participants, but Tuesday night’s Division 1 Super Bowl playoff win over Andover, 21-0 at Lowell’s Cawley Stadium probably has extra special meaning for St. John’s Prep veteran head coach Jim O’Leary. On this night, O’Leary recorded his 200th career win, which enabled his Eagles to take on Brockton in the EMass Division 1 Super Bowl title game at Bentley University Saturday at 6 p.m.

The Eagles improved to 10-1, while the Golden Warriors, who won the Merrimack Valley Conference Large Division, ended the year at 10-2.

The game was much closer than the final score would indicate. The game was scoreless throughout the first half, before the Eagles put it away with three second-half touchdowns.

Junior running back Johnathan Thomas was the obvious Star of the Game running for 208 yards on 28 carries, while accounting for all three touchdowns.

“[Thomas] showed why he is a scholarship player,” said O’Leary, “and that last touchdown he scored was unbelievable.”

After a missed 31-yard field goal by Andover’s Oliver Eberth on the first series of the second half, the Eagles started on their own 20, and nine plays later Thomas scored from three yards out, spinning his way into the end zone. The drive went 80 yards. Stephen Camarro’s extra point made it 7-0 with 3:31 left in the third quarter.

The Golden Warriors then drove the ball 42 yards on its next possession, but defensive back Alex Moore stripped the wide receiver of the ball, and alertly recovered the fumble on the Eagles 10.

Nine plays later, with Thomas running eight times and also catching a pass, the Eagles were in the end zone again. Thomas scored from 19 yards out with 7:12 left in the game.

The Eagles defense got the ball back on downs at midfield, and two plays later Thomas closed the door shut on Andover with a 48-yard touchdown run.

On Andover’s next series, Lucas Bavaro picked off quarterback C.J. Scarpa to seal the deal for his Super Bowl-bound teammates.

O’Leary was naturally pleased about his 200th win, but was typically ready to deflect any praise.

“I knew it was coming, but the 201st win will be bigger,” said O’Leary, who is hoping it will come against Brockton on Saturday. “We have a great group of kids.”

The Golden Warriors struggled in the red zone all game long. “We led them have passes underneath, but we knew we had the talent to go man-to-man with them in the red zone,” said O’Leary.

On its first possession of the game, the Warriors turned it over on downs at the Eagles 22. On their second series, a 29-yard field goal attempt by Eberth went wide left.

Andover then got the ball back one play later on a fumble, but on fourth and one from the Eagles four they went for it, and the pass by Scarpa was incomplete.

Conor Powers then picked off Scarpa (14-25 passing, 83 yards, two interceptions) just before halftime to end another threat. Eagles quarterback John Sharrio was 4 for 7 for 43 passing yards.